Chorreadas Piloncillo Cookies | Mexican Recipes, Quick and Easy (2024)

FAQs

How to use piloncillo in baking? ›

While there are many dishes and uses for piloncillo, it's not a simple substitution for granulated white sugar in recipes, but you can use it the same as you would brown sugar with a 1:1 substitution by weight. Depending on how hard the cone is, it can be crumbled or grated for easier measuring.

In the U.S., piloncillo is sometimes called “Mexican brown sugar.” More often, however, you will see the product labeled as both “panela” and “piloncillo” as well as “brown cane sugar.” And panela is known as raspadura and rapadura in various other Latin American countries.

Although piloncillo has a similar taste and look to brown sugar and is sometimes called “Mexican brown sugar”, it is not the same thing. While brown sugar is usually just white sugar with a small bit of molasses added to it, piloncillo is unprocessed cane sugar.

It often has a hint of smokiness, too. In Mexico, the sweetener is always referred to as piloncillo, but in other parts of the world, such as Central and Latin America, the chocolaty brown sugar is called chancaca, rapadura, or panela.

Comparing Piloncillo to Other Sweeteners

The refining process of white sugar involves bleaching and removing molasses, resulting in a product that is pure sucrose but lacking in essential minerals and vitamins. Comparatively, piloncillo contains more vitamins and minerals than white sugar, making it a healthier choice.

Piloncillo can be used as both a sweetener and a spice. Considering it has such a complex flavor profile, it adds an interesting taste to desserts, sauces, meat rubs, and hot and cold beverages. Before using piloncillo in a recipe, it must be chopped or grated.

It's sweet, but less so than refined sugar, and complex enough to eat as candy on its own. Piloncillo can be used as a sweetener, a spice, or both.

To store piloncillo syrup, refrigerate it in an airtight container to prevent crystallization. I like storing it in mason a mason jar. It will last at least one month when refrigerated. Warm slightly before using if it solidifies; add water if necessary.

Panela is known by other names in Latin America, such as chancaca in Chile, Bolivia, and Peru, piloncillo in Mexico (where panela refers to a type of cheese, queso panela). Just like brown sugar, two varieties of piloncillo are available; one is lighter (blanco) and one darker (oscuro).

It's best to keep the cones in a cool, dark, and dry place like a cupboard or pantry. We like to wrap ours in airtight glass containers as we find it controls the moisture level better. Plus, it helps keep insects out! If you store your piloncillo this way, it should last for at least 6 months.

Is piloncillo healthy for diabetics? ›

However, piloncillo is still sugar, and benefits of its trace nutrients are outweighed by the potential health problems, like diabetes and heart disease, caused by excess sugar consumption (via Healthline).

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Piloncillo is a basic ingredient in Mexican cooking, used to sweeten atole, pudding, and candied pumpkin. But, you can also use it as a filling for empanadas. When baked, piloncillo melts and turns into a soft and sweet filling which goes perfect with a cup of coffee.

Mexican dulces — meaning candies — are known for their bold and distinctive taste profiles, offering a tantalizing mix of sweet, sour, spicy and savory elements that create a memorable and exciting taste experience.

Stir the piloncillo frequently using a rubber spatula until it has melted completely into a syrup. This will take about 15 minutes over medium heat.

Brown sugar helps cookies stay softer because it has more moisture than white granulated sugar. Knowing exactly how each type of sugar works and what they add to your recipe will help you become a more well-rounded baker. It also makes substituting ingredients easier, if you're in a pinch!